Pritchard Windsurfing

Great Wavesailing Tips

One thing about windsurfing is you never get bored!!! There is always something new to learn or another challenge that lies ahead! No matter if you are learning to jibe or rip the waves to pieces, all of these tips help you to build a platform to better your performance!
We just finished our Punta San Carlos July Wave Camp- We had some great waves the first half of the camp and they slowly decreased towards the end of the week. Students came from all over the world as far as Israel to learn some new moves in one of the greatest windsurfing locations on the planet!

What did we learn?
Wave Selection- Just because you are coming in doesn’t mean you should! LOOK at what is behind you and pay attention to set waves. Watch and follow the good guys that are catching waves.Rig Separation- keep the sail further away from you so that it can pull you through the turns. When you choke the sail and have your arms bent you lose the input from the sail driving the board.Hand Movement is a big Key- Backhand back in the bottom turn, slide it forward coming off the top as you twist your body and redirect your path.Body follows head- when coming off the top, look back to the beach to where you want to go so that your body twists in the hips while you weight your heels and pull down on the booms to keep mast foot pressure and your speed going.Knees- get em low and move your body like a surfer. This helps pump the board and keep your speed going down the line. Straight legs=braking! The more speed you have on the wave, the easier it is to turn and look like a pro! Speed is your friend-

Not every location has perfect side-off shore winds blowing up a nice smooth face! It is very important to know what direction the wind is blowing. If it is more on shore, you will need to work much harder to go down the line. You need to open your sail sooner in the bottom turn so that you don’t get backwinded. When the wind is side-shore, you don’t have to think about this as much, same with off-shore winds! The common denominator for riding waves is starting off with good speed before you initiate your turns and being able to keep that speed down the wave. Keeping that front arm straight helps you get your weight forward and driving through the front foot to keep your rail engaged in the turn. Having your knees bent and your weight low drives you through the turns and gives you forgiveness if you hit any chop.
This is exactly what is required for a great JIBE! A good base foundation helps and no matter where you sail, you can practice perfect wave riding skills in flat water just by working on your jibes…..
So get out there and have FUN! Any questions, please comment……

About Post Author

Maui is my home where I can go windsurfing whenever I want- most of the time anyway! I spend my days doing private lessons and clinics around the world. I love teaching people and seeing them learn something they have been working on for more than 10 years!